Baby Kraken is out now, and to celebrate we sat down with intrepid illustrator, author and diver Ani Manzanas, to learn all about how the book came together. Follow the link below to get your copy!
Where did the idea for Baby Kraken come from?
Baby Kraken quite literally popped into my head like a bubble while I was watching a video on social media of someone rescuing a stranded octopus. Octopuses already feel a bit monster-like to me, so once that seed was planted, the rest escalated quickly.
At the same time, I was itching to make a book where I could pour all experiences and fascination with the sea, and also, I’ve always been a huge monster fan. So monsters met the ocean… and Baby Kraken was born.
What does a day in your life as an illustrator look like?
My day usually starts with a good breakfast and reading the news (in that sense I’m basically a very traditional dad trapped in an illustrator’s body.)
Then my greyhound and I go for a long walk, avoiding the city and getting lost in parks and countryside whenever possible. After that, I sit down to work: I grab my pencil (the digital one), make myself some rooibos tea, and draw while listening to music or audiobooks.
Sometimes I get so absorbed that I forget to eat. Sometimes I get distracted by new ideas or side projects. Both things happen regularly. The day always ends with another walk with the dog, and watching the sunset is pretty much mandatory. As you can see sneaking into Baby Kraken.
You’re a diver yourself — were you ever scared of the sea like Ollie, or are you more like the parents, totally at home in the water?
Very much like Ollie, I used to beterrified of the sea. For years, going to the beach meant staying safely on solid ground, poking around rock pools and sand. Maybe dipping my legs if I was feeling reckless. The sea itself felt so overwhelming ; the vastness, the darkness, and the very strong feeling that something was definitely lurking underneath.
And just like Ollie, everything changed the moment I put on a mask and dipped my head under the water. Sadly, it took me quite a few more years than Ollie to figure that out.
What are your creative influences? Are there any artists or illustrators that inspire you?
I absolutely love the work of Felicita Sala, Katherina Gorelik, Mary Blair and Štěpán Zavřel. Their aesthetic is like tickles for my soul. I’m also deeply influenced by the mood and sense of adventure in 80s and 90s adventure films.
That said, my biggest source of inspiration is probably just living. I spend more time collecting ideas and experiences than actually drawing. Inspiration pops up everywhere; a texture on the earth, a talk with strangers, a spark, light shining through coloured glass. I think it works the same way for painters, poets or musicians. I chase those moments… and then I sit down and draw whatever comes out of them.
Do you prefer to work with traditional materials, or digitally? Or a mixture of both?
I love the most getting my hands dirty and playing with traditional materials. But when it comes to actually working, I just use digital tools. Mainly because I like being able to undo my mistakes without ruining the previous work, and because it’s the only way my workspace stays even remotely tidy. (Remotely being the key word.)
We’ve noticed that although there is a fantasy element to Baby Kraken, your illustrations of the under-sea creatures are very true to life. Was that intentional, and have you always had an interest in marine biology?
I wasn’t consciously trying to be accurate. In fact, I usually avoid looking at references and prefer to draw from memory, because if I look too closely at a model, I tend to get a bit too realistic, and that’s not what I want for my illustration work.
That said, I genuinely love these animals as they are (definitely they are weird and quirky enough) and I have a pretty strong visual memory, so they naturally end up looking recognisable. And, funnily enough, when it came to choosing a career path, my two main options were always artist… or biologist.
Do you have a favourite sea creature? And have you ever seen a sea monster?
I used to think my favourite was the octopus indeed, but after many encounters and being true to my heart, nothing has made my heart thunder quite like finding a huge cuttlefish (or a bunch of them) while diving. They are so mesmerising, so alien-like in their own unique way, and also curious and interactive with us (unlike the octopuses I’ve met, which were quite shy and incredibly difficult to spot thanks to their camouflage.) And as far as it goes for monsters, I had no luck yet, but I´ll keep diving looking for one! As the octopuses, it seems the krakens are very shy for us to see them.
Baby Kraken
by Ani Manzanas
Ollie is afraid of the sea – he just KNOWS it’s full of monsters! While playing in a little tide pool, he meets a baby octopus. They become friends, and Ollie slowly learns that there was nothing to be scared of. After all, there are no giant monsters under the sea… are there?
